Bremen Germany one day itinerary
Bremen Germany is a 1200 year old city belonging to Hanseatic League – an alliance of trading cities in the 13th-17th century in the North and Central Europe. This city is considered as the 2nd largest city in the Northern Germany next to Hamburg. A visit to Bremen Germany allows you to see the intersections among old historical architectures, modern arts, science and sophisticated design of the city. There are many things to do and to see in Bremen, and one day is definitely not enough to experience them all. However, since we are only here for a day, we made our visit as worthy as possible. In this blog, I will discuss the one day itinerary when in Bremen Germany (see map below).
Bremen Germany one day itinerary
Whenever we visit a German city, Altstadt is always the first in our lists because it is often the most beautiful part of the city. To plan the trip to Bremen, you can park your car close to the garage in the Altstadt (Old Town). In our case, we used the BREPARKhaus Pressehaus. It is very closed to the Altstadt of Bremen. In just a few minutes walk, we were welcomed by the view of the Altstadt.
1. Altstadt Bremen Germany
The Altstadt of Bremen brings you to two parts: First is the market square with the view of the Historic Town Hall, which is an architectural masterpiece, and the Cathedral of St. Peter on the other side. These historical buildings, which perfectly radiate especially during a good weather, are the main attractions of Bremen. Second is the ‘Schnoor’, which is across the main street where tram line passes by. A ‘Schnoor’ is a middle aged neighbourhood in the city of Bremen. The oldest written records of ‘Schnoor’ dated back in the 13th century. You will get mesmerised by many beautifully designed and well preserved houses and neighbourhoods along the alleys.
2. Bremen Town Hall
The Bremen Town Hall is difficult to miss since this eye catching UNESCO World Heritage building is just standing on the central market square. This city hall manifest a 15th century Brick Gothic, which is a common design in the Northern and Central Europe, and a 17th century Weser Renaissance design due to renovation. In front of the city hall you can find the stone statue of Roland, which was initially erected in 1404. This statue represents the rights and privileges of the free and imperial city of Bremen.
3. St. Peter’s Cathedral (St. Petri Dom)
St. Peter’s Cathedral (St. Petri Dom) is erected in honour of St. Peter, but is now a Protestant-Lutheran church. The construction of this cathedral begins in the 11th century and lasted for more than three centuries. This cathedral, which consists of two high towers, is standing right on the main Market square (Marktplatz) in Bremen. The tour of the cathedral consists of three parts – (1) the church interior (for free), (2) the little museum in the back corner (for free), and (3) Tower (which costs only 2 euros per person. From the top you get an astonishing view of the city of Bremen.
4. Market square of Bremen Germany
The medieval market square of Bremen Germany is previously a gathering place for merchants. Similar to many European market squares, it is surrounded by historical buildings such as St. Peter’s cathedral and the City Town hall, gabled houses, cafes and restaurants, making it a popular place among locals and tourists. The market place nowadays, however, is not anymore held in this main market square but on the the square located at the back of the Town Hall. The main market square of Bremen Germany is nowadays only used for Christmas market and annual Freimarkt Fair during the end of October.
5. Town Musicians of Bremen
The Town musicians of Bremen is another popular symbol of the city. The statue is located at the corner of the Frauen Kirche and is part of the German fairy tale of the Grimm Brothers. According to the story, the four animals (a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster) were neglected and mishandled by their previous masters. Therefore, they left and decided to become musicians in the city of Bremen Germany, where animals can live for free without masters. However, the story is different from the other version of the stories. These four characters never really reached Bremen since they encountered bandits on their way to Bremen. They tricked these Bandits and got their ill-gotten wealth as well as live in the house where these bandits stayed
6. Böttcherstraße
The Böttcherstraße is an old merchant street that is 100m long, which is famous for uniquely designed architecture and buildings made of entirely colourful red bricks. The street is very narrow and there are many bars, restaurants, and shops at the ground level of the buildings.
7. Domshof-Passage Bremen Germany
The Domshof-Passage is a shopping street in Bremen which houses many brands including high end ones. There is not so much special in this place, but you can try many restaurants and shops here. In fact, we tried a 1,000 year old family bread recipe named Holzofen Scwarzwalder, and of course, other German delicacies.
8. Bürgerpark Bremen
After main city tour, you may want to go outside the city to breath fresh air in the greenery. The Bürgerpark Bremen is a nice place to go. The Bürgerpark is a municipal forest where you can do lots of activities such as visiting kids playground, playing mini golf, and rowing.
9. Universum Bremen Germany
A walk further from the Bürgerpark Bremen you will reach the Universum Bremen. It is an interactive science park with approximately 300 exhibits. The entrance fee for Universum Bremen costs 18 euros for adults and 12 euros for reduced price. For family visitor, the price is 42 euros.
Interested to visit other German cities? Check out my other blogs for inspiration:
1. Münster Germany one day itinerary
2. Celle Germany one day itinerary
3. Hanover Germany one day itinerary
4. Osnabrück Germany one day itinerary
5. Mönchengladbach Germany one day itinerary
6. Dusseldorf Germany one day itinerary